Word
by LacieLace
Summary: Tsuna never spoke a word, but that was okay. Some things don't have to be said after all. He fell in love with someone he shouldn't have, but that was okay too. Then he rescued a turtle from a car crash, found himself glowing with strange symbols all over his body, and suddenly, nothing was all that okay anymore. Eventual Arcobaleno27. [AU]
1. Being okay with being okay

**Word**

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 **One: Being okay with being okay**

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 **Summary: Tsuna never spoke a word, but that was okay. Some things don't have to be said after all. He fell in love with someone he shouldn't have, but that was okay too. Then he rescued a turtle from a car crash, found himself glowing with strange symbols all over his body, and suddenly, nothing was all that okay anymore.**

* * *

If Tsuna could use one word to describe his life, it would be "okay."

(Not that he would actually speak it aloud, but that was "okay" too.)

Sometimes, it was good.

Other times, it was not too good.

(Like that time when he glanced over and saw his crush kissing someone else.)

But mostly, it was okay.

* * *

It _has_ to be okay.

* * *

He wasn't really good at anything.

Except failing, and really, who wants to be good at _that_?

Still…

(If he stopped failing, maybe Kyoko-chan would finally look in his direction?)

His thoughts always seem more bold than his actions.

It's kind of sad.

* * *

 _Useless-Tsuna_ , they nicknamed him.

Tsuna agreed with them. After all, even his mother called him that.

("Don't be too dame today, okay Tsu-kun?" she started to greet him every morning.

Tsuna is not sure, but he believes that was truly when he started to believe it.)

He's never been good at anything, really. He was a clumsy, mute coward with no backbone. It probably didn't help that he had the constant face of a deer caught in the headlights whenever someone even looked in his direction. Tsuna has no friends, but he does have plenty of bullies to make up for it.

It all balanced out in the end.

(Liar.)

* * *

Nothing was ever in his favor.

* * *

Tsuna was left behind to do the classroom chores. Again.

There is no surprise involved. He's pretty used to it. He actually thinks it's helping him get better at cleaning, the slow repetitions and movements of the cleaning equipment, but maybe that was just wishful thinking.

Hmm, wishful thinking… Tsuna is very good at that.

Today, just like almost every other day, Tsuna thinks about Kyoko-chan. He thinks about how pretty she is, or how the way she smiled made everything better. He thinks about the way how he really shouldn't think too much about her.

(Because, really, how far up is she up on the ladder and how far down is he?

It's two completely different worlds.)

From far away, Tsuna could hear the shouts and the yells of the practicing baseball team.

"Go, Yamamoto! We're counting on you!"

"Yeah, with you on our side, we can never lose!"

Sometimes, he wished could be like Takeshi Yamamoto—popular, cheerful, and an all around nice guy, but Tsuna can't really fool himself. He knows he's hopeless at stuff like that. Sports, grades, or just interacting with people in general. That's what got him the name Dame-Tsuna, after all.

Sighing, he finished cleaning the classroom and crept out, keeping an eye out for any bullies. Relief flowed through him when he saw no one, probably because everyone was either home or too busy with their clubs to bother with him.

Backpack firmly clutched in his hands, he walked out, never noticing the beady black eyes following his every move.

* * *

 _Target moving into position._

 _Get ready._

* * *

"Cabbages, cabbages! A whole ten percent discount today!"

"Whole store sale! Everything in store down more than five percent!"

The busy streets of Namimori rang out with shouts of sales and discounts. The people milling outside hustled and bustled to their next destination. Tsuna slips between them, earning himself a few pitied and disdainful glances.

"Isn't that Nana's son?"

"Yes, the pity the poor woman for having a son like that…"

Tsuna doesn't even wince anymore at the whispers and looks he receives. It's something that happens everyday 24-7, 365 days a year. He's learned to cope with it by shutting himself into his own world and burying all his feelings into the deepest, darkest corners of his mind.

(It probably wasn't very healthy, but a lot of things he does isn't, so what's one more?)

The light turns red, and he stops himself from stepping out of the curb just in time for a car to whiz by and beep at him for not paying attention. Eyes slightly unfocused, Tsuna taps the button on his headphones to increase the sound—only to freeze as he spies a turtle in the middle of the road and an incoming car.

 _Ah,_ he thinks, and then, for some reason or another, his legs began to move.

* * *

He doesn't see a symbol with the character for courage appear on his forehead, seemingly etched on there by flames. He doesn't see the incoming car desperately slam on the brakes to try and avoid the almost inevitable collision. He doesn't see anything but the turtle—about to be killed for being stupid, for being weak.

(Just like him.)

He stretches out his hands and snatches the turtle from the pavement, holding it close to his chest as the car lights blinded his vision.

 _Huh,_ his last thought was, surprisingly, not about Kyoko-chan, but of the turtle in his arms. _I heard turtles can live a really long time. Hope this one can too._

* * *

 **BANG!**

* * *

Eyes glowing orange, a voice that hasn't been used for years resonated.

" **...I will save you with my dying will."**

* * *

" _Tsu-kun!" Nana chirped from downstairs. "Get ready for bed."_

" _But Tsu-kun don't want to…"_

 _Of course, the sulky refusals were all shooed away and pushed aside with an amused smile. A mother not having that skill is almost unheard of, after all._

 _After brushing his teeth very carefully, the brunet dawdled and plodded down the hallway, but eventually, he reached his room. The child climbed onto his bed and crawled under the covers, a pout marring his usual angelic face._

 _Nana laughed when she saw and gently nudged her son over so she could sit._

" _Do you want to hear a story?"_

 _The pout disappeared immediately, and chocolate brown eyes lit up with childish curiosity, unconsciously leaning closer to his mother._

" _Is it about knights and dragons?" he questioned, peering up at her with hopeful eyes._

" _Not tonight, Tsu-kun." Nana rubbed her own eyes and yawned slightly. "I'm just going to tell you a strange legend that has been passed down in our family for generations."_

" _Gen-generations?" Tsuna stumbled over the foreign word._

" _It means it has been a long time, Tsu-kun."_

" _Oh, okay then." Why adults do always have to use such big words when there are so many small ones already, Tsuna will never understand._

 _Smiling, Nana wrapped her arms around her son and began to weave her tale._

" _Long, long time ago, there was a beautiful princess but she never spoke a single word. Many believed she was mute and scorned her._ 'What was the use of a princess who could not speak,' _they reasoned. And so, the princess was left to a life of abandonment. Not even her own parents loved her, so they cast her out of the castle. Outside of the castle, she lived peacefully with the villagers, who accepted her even when she did not speak._

 _However, after years passed, the kingdom experienced the worst drought in history. The economy collapsed. The villagers couldn't grow crops to feed themselves or pay their taxes. Seeing all the suffering around her, the princess finally spoke..."_

" _What happened?" Tsuna inquired when his mama stared off into space. "What did the princess say?"_

 _Tsuna didn't understand why everybody didn't like the princess because she didn't want to talk. It's her business if she wanted to talk, and nobody should control her decision to not talk._

 _Nana smiled, but her eyes remained far away._ "Ame."

" _Rain?"_

" _Yes, Tsu-kun, rain."_

 _Tsuna scrunched his eyebrows. "All this time she didn't talk but suddenly she said rain? It's not as if it's going to rain when she says so."_

 _Nana finally looked at him then, brown eyes clashing with brown. "It did rain, Tsu-kun, but that wasn't the point."_

Then what was? _Tsuna didn't understand._

" _You may not know this, but a Word can be very powerful. Especially when filled with such absolute resolve and emotion." Suddenly, Mama bent down so that their foreheads touched and gently stroked his hair. "Tsu-kun, I want to you promise me that you will never use your words for evil."_

 _Evil? Why would he do that? Confused, he pouts a little but nods anyway._

" _Ok, Mama. I promise."_

* * *

Sometimes, there are just some promises that hurt to keep. This wasn't anything different. But that's OK too, Tsuna is more than used to pain.

* * *

 **AN: Some of the elements came from Alice 19th, a manga by the same mangaka of Fushigi Yuugi.**

 **This was also inspired by** **exocara's writing style and her fanfiction Memento Mori and me just wanting to write Arcobaleno27.**

 **(Because there's definitely not enough of that.)**


	2. Being okay with running away

**Word**

* * *

 **Two: Being okay with running away**

* * *

 **Summary: Tsuna never spoke a word, but that was okay. Some things don't have to be said after all. He fell in love with someone he shouldn't have, but that was okay too. Then he rescued a turtle from a car crash, found himself glowing with strange symbols all over his body, and suddenly, nothing was all that okay anymore.**

* * *

There was a squirming turtle in his arms, a tall, dangerously handsome man holding him by the back of the neck like an unruly kitten, and he was missing most of his clothes.

Something wasn't right.

He stares at the man from the corner of his eyes, too scared to make eye contact. When the man notices, Tsuna snaps his eyes closed and tilts his head down. A second later, he resolves himself to at least make sure the turtle was okay and opened his eyes—only to meet dark, bottomless orbs staring into his face, far too close for comfort.

"Finally up, Dame-Tsuna?" Tsuna blinks in surprise at the stranger who knew his "name." It kind of said a lot if even a complete stranger was willing to call him that.

He nods. The man with the fedora sets him down, and he stumbles a little before regaining his (nonexistent) balance due to the sudden, but gentle handwrapping expertly around his shoulders.

Huh, it's been awhile since he's been touched like this…Stranger or not, there was something about this man Tsuna feels like he could trust, if only for that moment. Against his more rational judgment, he leans a little into the touch, releasing a nostalgic sigh.

" _Tsu-kun, come here! Mama will make it better."_

Nana used to do it all the time whenever he was sad about having no friends or whenever he cried. She doesn't do that now, not after Iemitsu became a "star" and never came home anymore. Tsuna wonders sometimes if he took her love for granted. Did she only love him because he brought his father back that one time? Tsuna doesn't know. He doesn't want to either.

(But isn't a parent's love unconditional?)

"Reborn!" A younger man, with a much easier-going expression, rushes to the other man's side. Tsuna takes this chance to step away, though he still had a front seat pass to what happened next. He watches with almost horror as the blonde trips and slams onto the ground. Tsuna winces because he knows, exactly, how that felt.

At least it was in the grass. Tsuna has tripped over and onto pavement before and that was a painful experience, complete with skinned knees and elbows. Before he could offer help to the blonde, however, the man beside him exhales, a sound Tsuna guesses was his version of a sigh, and gives the downed body a sharp kick.

"Get up, Dino." The said blonde, Dino, whines pitifully but picks himself back up and hurriedly dusted his pants. He glances at Reborn—is that his real name, Tsuna doesn't know. Why would anyone name their child _Reborn_?—with hopeful eyes.

"Did you find Enzo?"

"My no-good student," Tsuna starts but then realizes that this Reborn wasn't talking to him. "This wouldn't have happened if you had kept a close eye on your pet."

"But, but—!" the guy flails as Reborn narrowed his beady, black eyes on him. "It wasn't on purpose and— _who is that?_ " The blonde finally notices Tsuna, who was doing his best to blend into the background.

Ah, he really wishes he could turn into one those things his science teacher talked about in class—amoeba, ameba? Tsuna's not good at science either and _that's why you're Dame-Tsuna_ —and just ooze away. Then Dino catches sight of the turtle Tsuna was clutching nervously in his arms and exclaimed, "Enzo, there you are!"

So this turtle was his? Tsuna knows he shouldn't judge—because he isn't worthy enough to make opinions of others when he himself amounted to nothing, after all— _but really_ , he thinks, _like pet like owner._

Dino strides forward, most likely to retrieve his pet, but Tsuna flinched back when he sees the blonde loom over him, feeling so much like his bullies that he shoves Enzo at Dino and takes a step back and then another and another until he's full out running.

"Wha-! Wait! Hey, I didn't even say thanks yet!" the blonde calls.

Midway through, Tsuna stops, turns around and bows as if to say _you're welcome_ , and continues to run, nearly tripping as he rushes to get away. He could feel their gazes, and Reborn's especially felt like they were drilling holes through the back of his head. They didn't chase, but if they did, Tsuna knows that he wouldn't have even made it three steps backward, in which case, Reborn would already be there, all caught up and bored. However, before he runs any farther, he takes a brief, hesitant look back.

They were still staring.

* * *

All he really can do is run.

Away from bullies. Away from his problems. Away from the dark, dark thoughts that sometimes plagued his mind.

(But he's not even good at that either…)

* * *

"So, uh, what was that about?" Dino asks, Enzo perched neatly on his shoulder.

Reborn twitches, hands going toward his gun, and Dino thinks—no, he _knows_ —that Reborn was about to beat him up for some reason or another.

(And, sometimes, there wasn't a reason because, well, Reborn _wasn't_ reasonable.)

"You," Reborn says darkly, "You just lost me my prey."

 _Prey? What prey? Don't tell me—!_

The image of the short, chocolate-eyed boy from earlier flashes through his mind.

"Wait, wait!" Dino waves his hands in the air as the universal sign of 'don't hit me'. "Are you saying that _he's_ going to be the new—?!"

 _Bang!_

"Haha…" Dino takes a step back when the bullet came too close to his manhood for comfort. Ah, well, today wasn't a good day for him, was it? He kind of wishes he had something cool to say at the last moment when Reborn's gun leveled with his forehead like all the heroes on TV, but really, all he wanted was to write his will.

' _Enzo can have the biggest bathtub in the west wing, Patrizia can have my favorite stuffed animal, Alfonso, Romario can have my allowance…'_

* * *

Tsuna leans against a tree, panting heavily and wishing he was just a tad bit more athletic.

(See? There he goes again, making pointless wishes.)

What was that about?

As he gets up to walk away, a sharp sting in his front pocket stops him. Confused, he reaches and feels something warm press against his fingers. He pulls it out and almost drops it in shock.

 _W-where did this even come from?_

In his hands was a still smoking bullet. It was a bright, vivid red and on it was a flame etched into it. Whoever made this took a lot of care to make it stand out. It even had a strange, determined face carved into the flame.

But…

 _Dangerous,_ something within his mind whispers, _something isn't right._

So he follows the instructions of his inner voice and throws it as far as possible. As soon as he turns to go, however, a voice speaks up.

"This is why I find idiots deplorable." A man, dressed in a white lab coat and tie, steps out of the bushes and pushes up his glasses. Between his fingers was the red bullet Tsuna had just thrown away. "You're simply someone who doesn't know the value of my inventions."

He looks at Tsuna directly in the eyes before saying something Tsuna freezes at.

"If you don't see all the effort I put into this, why don't we simply test this Dying Will Bullet on you then?"

* * *

 **A/N: I wasn't expecting much. One review, two if I was lucky, but wow, nine! Nine whole comments of motivation (to me, lol).**

 **University life is too much. I don't even see why I need to be educated for 6 years to be an elementary teacher. Am I supposed to be teaching them college algebra or something? Because, dang, requirements from my time in Pre-K sure have shot up.**

 **(Why do I sound so old, my god.)**

 **Oh, well, I'll just hang it up on the wall like a trophy when I get it.**

 **So, I have a question. How do this answering questions in the reviews work? Am I suppose to answer them in PM? Or in the next chapter?**


End file.
